Aces chase record 6th win versus Whoppers

MANILA, Philippines - Streaking Alaska Milk team goes for a new franchise record as it guns for its sixth straight victory against Burger King in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome today. Aces coach Tim Cone said making it 6-0 will certainly be a big motivation as they play the Whoppers in the second game of a triple-bill which also marks the resumption of Smart Gilas’ guest stint in the tourney. The RP training pool, with naturalization candidate C.J. Giles in tow, goes up against Coca-Cola at 2:30 p.m., hoping to nail a first win after losing its first three games to Burger King, Talk n Text and Barangay Ginebra. Barako Bull, a lowly regarded squad off to a solid start in the tourney, takes on a badly-depleted Barangay Ginebra at 7:30 p.m., determined to pull off another surprise after claiming a pair of stunners over the Coke Tigers and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. Jayjay Helterbrand, with a strained knee, is joining Mark Caguioa in the sidelines. Focus, however, will be on the Aces, who are seeking to keep their romp against a team which is definitely no pushover. “It’s not easy beating (coach) Yeng Guiao’s team. They have no superstar but they work hard. They’re a blue-collar team that can rise to the challenge,” said Cone of the Whoppers. “They get under your skin. They’re physical and they’re tough, and I hate playing that kind of team,” Cone also said of the team that beat them convincingly in a tune-up in the off-season. The Aces, however, are highly motivated as they tangle with the Whoppers, looking to surpass the 5-0 start they made in the 1998 All-Filipino Conference. The last time Alaska had a 6-0 start in a tourney was in the 1996 Commissioner’s Cup. It was the Aces’ grand slam season featuring stars Johnny Abarrientos, Jojo Lastimosa, Bong Hawkins, Poch Juinio and Jeffrey Cariaso. The Whoppers, on the other hand, try to check their slide and start a run to catch up with the early frontrunners. Burger King is tied with Coca-Cola at eighth place with identical 1-3 cards, a game and a half ahead of cellar-dweller Rain or Shine. The Tigers have just broken into the win-column with a 93-79 bashing of the Purefoods Giants Friday. They hope to build up momentum as they meet the RP aspirants today. Giles, who returned to the country Sunday, will be back in action with the RP training pool after playing only a few minutes against the Tropang Texters and sitting out the whole game against the Kings.